Chapter 15
The morning came and with it the rain. Elphaba frowned as she watched it come down in buckets. She was feeding Zara while she stood at the windows. Fiyero was in the shower and Kelebek had retreated to the safety and dry of the stables. There was a knock on the bedroom door and she quickly covered up before bidding the person to enter.
"Your Highness," it was Lieutenant Ash, who poked his head inside the door. Upon seeing, the Princess, he quickly pulled himself inside the room and bowed as was proper.
"Lieutenant, what news do you have?" Elphaba asked.
"The troops from Ix have made it to our borders and are on the way here. They were split in half so that some may bolster the border and the rest will be here by nightfall, if they can manage with the weather. Lady Glinda and the other guests have begun their trips back home," he gave her an update.
"Good. What about the lower town?" The green woman wanted to know.
"We're telling people to be prepared. Right now trying to evacuate in this weather will only cause trouble," Ash said. As if to enforce his comment, thunder boomed and lightning struck outside.
"Miserable weather," Elphaba frowned. She could feel that Zara needed to burp when they both heard the shower stop.
"I'll leave you to it," the Lieutenant smiled and bowed before exiting the room. Elphaba pulled the baby out from under her cover and gently placed the girl on her shoulder. A few pats on the back and there was a
"BBBAAAAAAAARRRRRPPPPP!" It had Fiyero rushing out of the bathroom, clad only in a towel. He was glad to see that the noise had not been followed by spew like it had the last time.
"Is she always going to do that?" He asked as he walked over to his girls.
"Well the medicine that the doctor and I came up with aids in digestion but that doesn't mean there won't be any gas or what we discovered in her diaper this morning," Elphaba explained.
"You know, we've seen some nasty stuff during our lives but that has to be the worst," Fiyero almost gagged remembering what they'd found when Zara cried earlier that morning.
"I would agree," she chuckled as she laid Zara down in the bassinet.
"Are you all clean, my Prince?" Elphaba turned to find him rubbing his hair with a second towel.
"Yes, I am. Do you want me to watch Zara while you get ready?" He asked.
"If you could. I would imagine your parents will be wondering why we aren't down to breakfast yet," she said. They both heard Fiyero's stomach growl, which made Elphaba chuckle before heading into the bathroom to get cleaned up. Fiyero quickly went about the room getting dressed and keeping an eye on Zara at the same time. His wife exited the bathroom, wrapped in a towel and quickly put one on her head, wrapping her hair up.
"What did I say about you being all undressed like that?" He teased.
"Yes well I could say the same to you. Now let's both stay focused on getting ready," Elphaba tried to get him to stay on point when there was a knock on the door. She slipped back into the bathroom while Fiyero answered it.
"Havva, it's good to see you. I'm guessing you're here for babysitting duties," he said.
"I am. Doctor Magi would like it if we visited him before we spend our day in the nursery," the midwife smiled.
"She seems fine," Fiyero grew concerned.
"As I am sure she is. I'm thinking it's more of a social call than anything else," Havva winked.
"Ah well we cannot deprive him of that," the Prince chuckled. He helped the midwife get Zara out of bed and swaddled in her blanket before the woman was off heading down to the infirmary.
"Glad to see you could join us," Tahir chuckled as the couple walked into breakfast fifteen minutes later.
"I'm famished," Fiyero smirked as the cook came out of the kitchen and quickly took their orders. The royal couples chatted while they waited for Fiyero and Elphaba's breakfasts. Soon the two were eating and enjoying everyone's company. That was until Elphaba dropped her fork. The green woman squeezed her eyes shut, put a hand on either side of her head, and let out a scream.
"Fae, what is it?" Fiyero asked. She didn't answer him and quickly Ayla shouted for someone to fetch the doctor.
To Be Continued…